Hopefully, A World Series for the Ages...

By Chris Pollay

The Philadelphia Phillies may be the defending world champions, but they still feel like the underdog to me. Let's face it, the New York Yankees are the most impressive franchise in all of sports. They are the measuring stick that all other dynasties and champions compare themselves against, and they are the perfect opponent for a team that wants to cement its place in history as one of the all-time greats.

Though the Phillies were established 18 years before the Yankees, they have won 24 fewer World Series titles. The Yankees have won 26 World Series while the Phillies have won only two, including last season's victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Philadelphia is extremely proud of all seven of its National League Pennants during its over 125-year history. Meanwhile, New York has notched 40 American League Pennants in only 108 years (and, incidentally, have reached the playoffs 14 of the last 15 years). Philadelphia is a very good team, but the Yankees are the team to beat, always. As a Philadelphia fan, this is the World Series I wanted. You want to beat the best in order to be unquestionably the best. You want to go for the guys with the biggest payroll and the most expensive ballpark.

Of course, I probably should be careful what I wish for.

When I look at the Philadelphia roster, I am impressed on every level. They have the ultimate slugger (Ryan Howard), the all-star veteran that sparks the team (Jimmy Rollins), the intimidating pitching ace (Cliff Lee), the (recently) devastating closer (Brad Lidge), and a packed roster that is truly stacked at every position. How can these guys NOT be favored?

Then, I look at the Yankees and see more of the same: Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, C.C. Sabathia, Mariano Rivera, etc. Some of these guys will go down as the best ever to play the game. How can these guys NOT be favored?

For that matter, how can either of these teams lose?

I wouldn't want to bet against the Phillies because they look like the same poised, confident team that came together at the right time and stormed through the 2008 playoffs like predestined champions. They have only lost one game in each of their past five playoff series. They simply know how to win it all and they won't be satisfied until they do so again.

Then again, the Yankees are no different. Many of these guys have already won it all, several times over, and the rest are hungry to experience a championship for themselves. I definitely wouldn't want to bet against the Damn Yankees ever.

Do we even need the so-called baseball experts to offer up predictions? What's the point? These teams could play 100 series and both teams would likely win 50.

This one will go the distance. The teams are too evenly matched for it to end any sooner than Game Seven. This should be one of the greatest Fall Classics in MLB's long history.

As a baseball fan, I can't wait.

As a Phillies' fan, I know that I will be ready to bite my nails off and cover my eyes come Wednesday night. I can honestly say, I have no clue what is going to happen. I just know it's going to be amazing and exciting. Play Ball! Read more!

The Dodger Blue Flu and the Red Hot Phillies

By Chris Pollay

It’s early Monday morning and I haven’t slept eight hours overall since Friday night. I should still be in bed, but my weak body aches too much, the room keeps spinning and my stomach feels like Ryan Howard used it for batting practice last night.

I don't know which strand of flu I am inflicted with, but I do know that no matter how lousy I feel right now I probably feel better than anyone wearing Dodger Blue.

Last night was simply awful for Los Angeles and its baseball fans. In fact, awful is too weak of a superlative. How about beaten and left for dead?

I can’t imagine any Dodger fan feels good about their teams chances against the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies at this moment.

After all, they should feel lucky to only be down two-games-to-one because they needed an error in the field from Chase Utley and an error in judgement from Manager Charlie Manuel (who took a smoking hot Pedro Martinez out after only 87 pitches) just to squeak by with a win in Game Two.

That setback has only made the Phillies more focussed in their drive to repeat. For evidence, I submit Game Three of the 2009 National League Championship Series.

First off, I am not even sure the 11 to 0 score conveys just how lopsided the game was.

It was so bad that the Phillies outscored the normally high-powered Eagles’ offense by two points!

It was so bad that every single Philly starter, including pitching ace Cliff Lee, scored at least one run. The Phillies garnered eleven hits altogether, more than half of which were of the extra base variety including long balls by Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino.

It was so bad that the same Dodgers’ pitcher (Hiroki Kurada) who secured the team's only win in the 2008 NLCS against the Phillies left the game after only recording four outs. His ERA was over 40!

Meanwhile, it was all good for the Phillies. Starter Cliff Lee went eight full innings without an earned run, striking out ten and only giving up three hits. He turned the series around faster than you can say “the best mid-season acquistion in baseball.”

So far, he has only given up two earned runs in 24.1 postseason innings, which translates to a postseason ERA of 0.74. That is not a typo. Cole Hamels was utterly fantastic last year in the playoffs, but Lee seems poised to be even more brilliant this October.

Looking ahead to this afternoon, I expect an angry and embarrassed Dodger team to give the Phillies a tough game. Regardless, I don’t see how they can actually win this series unless the Phillies completely crumble, which I just don’t see that happening, (especially since their biggest bat continues to be on a tear through the playoffs).

Last year, Ryan Howard was only 8 for 31 (.258) with five runs and three RBIs during the entire first two rounds of the playoffs (a total of nine games), yet the Phillies still managed to go 7 and 2 in those outings because they certainly don’t need to rely on one bat, even the mighty bat of Howard.

However, when he’s hot, he can carry the team for quite some time, and he’s definitely running a fever right now (along with the rest of the team).

In 2009, after only seven playoff games, he is batting 10 for 26 (.385) with six runs and 12 RBIs. That is downright lethal. He's had at least one hit in every postseason game, and at least one RBI to boot.

As long as the Big Guy continues his hot streak, the Dodgers will suffer from the terminal Blue Flu that currently plagues them. That’s OK, though. They can have all the bed rest they need after two more losses.

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Howard, Hamels Heating Up at the Right Time

By Chris Pollay

In order for the Philadelphia Phillies to advance far in the postseason this year, a lot of players are going to have to play well. However, I am still clinging to a little hope that the team can repeat because the team’s two key players are heating up just as the season is winding down.

Both Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels are capable of lifting the entire team on their shoulders and carrying them for significant stretches.

Of course, Hamels did precisely that for much of the playoff run during the 2008 championship season. He was 4-0 in five starts. Pitching an average of seven innings per start, his ERA was a phenomenal 1.80 for the entire postseason.

While Cole has struggled quite a bit in 2009 (10-9 record with a 4.07 ERA), he has proven to still be the Phillies’ workhorse. So far he has racked up more innings pitched (177) than any other starter on the club. He also leads the teams in strikeouts with 157.

The most exciting statistics, however, are the ones from Hamels' last five starts (since Aug. 26). In that time, he has elevated his game considerably. Not only has he has won three of his last four decisions, he has only given up 6 earned runs in his last 37.2 innings pitched (1.45 ERA).

He is back in control of his pitches and his changeup, in particular, has been downright merciless. As a result, he has been lasting longer in his starts, which is a very good sign. His World Series MVP hangover seems to be over and I believe he’s ready to take the mound as the bonafide ace of the team come next month.

While Hamels leads the team defensively, there is no question who the offensive leader of the team is The Big Man Ryan Howard. He has been a machine throughout his short career. In the past three seasons, he has racked up home runs at a staggering pace: 58 in 2006, 47 in 2007, and 48 in 2008.

So far this season, he has 41, and if the series against the Atlanta Braves this past weekend is any indication, he’s going to end the season on a tear. His three home runs and five RBIs helped the team win two of three crucial games.

Overall this season, Ryan is batting 20 points higher than last season (.271 vs. .251) and his OPS (On Base Plus Slugging Percentage) is higher: .917 vs. .881.

He also has obtained numerous career highs this season, including: most steals (7); most doubles (34); and has tied for most triples (4) even though the Phillies still have 14 more games to play.

With Howard and Hamels peaking at the right time, the team looks to be in pretty good shape. Their magic number is down to six and they’ve won 10 of their last 13 games.

I suppose I could focus more on some of the team’s weaknesses and trouble spots (and the team certainly has its share of both), but I prefer to take the positive approach as the postseason approaches.

And, of course, with Cole Hamels on the mound and Ryan Howard in the batter’s box, there certainly is a lot to feel positive about if you’re a Phillies’ fan.

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One Month to Go

by Chris Pollay

After today's much-needed day off, the Philadelphia Phillies will head into September with a nice comfortable lead in the race for the National League East title.

Regardless of who wins today's matchup between the Florida Marlins and the Atlanta Braves, Philly will start the final month of the 2009 regular season with a 7 1/2 game lead with 34 games left to play.

The schedule is divided up evenly with 17 home games and 17 road games. However, it'd probably be better news if the Phils had a lot more road games left as they still boast the best road record in MLB at 41-23.

Still, anyway you slice it, the Phils are in great shape and are highly likely to make a third consecutive postseason appearance.

Of those remaining 34 games, 22 are against opponents who are currently under .500 in the win column. In fact, the Phillies have a combined 43-28 record against their remaining opponents, which include: San Francisco (3 games); Houston (8 games); Washington (6 games); New York Mets (4 games); Atlanta (3 games); Florida (6 games); and Milwaukee (4 games).

The team continues to play solidly, winning 15 games during the month of August including 14 of their last 19. The team is hot and a lot of positive signs are popping up.

Ryan Howard has been on a tear lately. Jimmy Rollins has been swinging the bat well for a long stretch. In all, four different sluggers (Howard, Utley, Werth and Ibañez) have at least 27 homers this season. That's some serious firepower.

In fact, the team still leads the National League in numerous categories: home runs, runs, total bases, SLG and OPS. The team's hitting will keep them in almost every ball game.

So, their postseason run will probably depend a lot more on pitching. The starters are an intimidating rotation. Cliff Lee finally proved he was human with his first bad start with the team. The Braves beat him up on Saturday by garnering ten hits (including three homers) and scoring six earned runs. Lee only lasted five innings.

To put that in perspective, Lee had not given up a homer in his five previous starts (all wins) and he had never lasted less than seven innings in an outing. Even more impressive, he had given up only three earned runs altogether in his five starts prior to Saturday. After the Braves lit him up, his ERA (since joining the team) jumped from .675 to 1.8, which is still quite impressive overall.

Joe Blanton, who delivered a gutsy pitching performance on Sunday to help the Phils take the series, has been consistent for a long, long time now. He hasn't given up more than three earned runs in any of his last 12 starts.

J.A. Happ has exceeded any and all expectations. The young hurler is 10 and 3 this season with a stringent 2.63 ERA. He was 3 and 1 in August and never gave up more than three runs in any of those starts.

Those three pitchers are all pitching like aces right now, which shows how deep the starting pitching is for the Phillies. After all, the MVP of the 2008 World Series is not one of their three top options at the moment. Still, don't bet against Cole Hamels if the team makes it to the postseason. He has been shaky in August, to be sure, but I believe he will lead by example in September.

Starting pitching won't be the issue for the Phillies as the season winds down. It's all about the bullpen, which, of course, has been struggling all season long. The team seems no closer to finding a secure closer, either. Brad Lidge did manage to save the game on Sunday, but his 7.03 ERA is not going to scare any teams when the Phillies hold a late lead from here on out.

Opponents will take comfort that he has blown nine saves in 36 opportunities. That's once every four chances!

Manager Charlie Manuel has one month to go to try to fix the problem, and though the Phillies should have a lot of options to consider, they are running out of time.

The team will make the playoffs. That is almost a forgone conclusion at this point. However, how far the team can go is an absolute mystery to me. Philadelphia certainly has enough potential to win a championship, but it can just as likely be beaten in the first or second round if the bullpen can't come together in time. Read more!

Sorry Philadelphia, No Repeat

As the playoffs near while the division and wild card races heat up, the World Series begins to pop up in all fans’ heads. Every fan and MLB analyst has his or her opinion on who is going to make it and win the Fall Classic, but nothing is set in stone, and the unexpected is a common theme. For the fans of Philadelphia, 2008 was one of the most memorable years in franchise history, but a repeat this year would make these two years even more memorable. If you consider how hard it is to get to the final series, especially with the much-needed luck and how the game is played today, the Phillies road to another championship will not be so easy. The Phils definitely have the talent, which they have proven over the last two seasons, but that key factor, luck, could unfortunately get in way.

After the Yankees went on their back- to- back-to-back tear from 1998-2000, there were six different World Series winners up to last year. In major league history, there have been 13 different times in which the same team won two consecutive championships. If you exclude the Yankees, the same feat has only happened seven times since the Modern era (1901-Present) began. So, keeping these statistics in mind, it’s quite rare to find a talented enough team to repeat. I am not saying it is out of the question for the Phillies, but some luck and timing will be essential for this to occur.

Luck plays a large part in winning a world series, but it only makes such a difference. Plain and simply, you need to have the tools throughout your lineup in order to succeed, and do it consistently. The Phillies may have just that, but they are not the only ones. The overpowering Yankees, consistent Angels, (who haven’t lost more than three games in a row this season) and the stacked Dodgers, are just a few of the teams in both leagues that could easily be crowned the 2009 champion. My biggest fear as a Phillies fan are those Yanks. The Yankees may have started off a bit slow, but they are without a doubt one of the best teams in baseball right now. They have a 6.5 game lead over the Boston Red Sox, (another stacked lineup) and an almost sure spot in the playoffs. One may say that the Phillies have an eight game lead over the Braves in their division. While this is true, I must admit that they are not playing in the best division in baseball; the Yankees are. Even if the Phillies do win the National League Pennant, clinching the whole thing is going to be a lot tougher than last year.

Aside from the tough competition, the required luck, and everything else it takes to win a championship, the Phillies have some major issues looming over them as they enter September and the end of the season. I won’t go into much detail for I am sure everyone has heard multiple times about them, but if they aren’t cleared up and fixed soon, I am saying it right now, the Phillies will NOT win the World Series. Brad ‘Lights Out’ Lidge isn’t too “lights out” anymore, and without a consistent and reliable closer, it makes it 10 times harder to put away a team up by one run in the ninth inning. Speaking of reliable, last year’s Cole Hamels was the ace of the staff, but this year you never know which Hamels you are going to get. Usually, it’s not the good Hamels. If the Phillies want to go deep into the postseason, they won’t be able to do this if they only rely on Cliff Lee. Now, those are the two biggest issues concerning the Phillies right now, but some other minor problems include Pedro Martinez’s consistency and Raul Ibanez’s lost stroke. With all of this said, no one can’t be surprised, for we all know that all Philadelphia teams like to play “the hard way”.


Not everything has been negative as of late. The Phillies will be able to call up some minor leaguers in September when the 25-man roster increases. Off the bench power could be provided by Michael Taylor, though it is just a possibility. The return of Brett Myers could put a final statement in the bullpen, but after a long layoff from being on the DL, who knows what he will contribute to the ballclub? Aside from players internally helping out the club, the Phillies do have a seven game lead over the Braves as of August 30, so this gives them time and flexibility to fix their problems. If it were a closer race, the patience for Brad Lidge to return to form would be at a minimum, and the City of Brotherly Love would be going frantic. Let’s all hope we never reach that point.

Playoff baseball is the best thing in sports. The atmospheres, intensity, close ballgames, great pitching matchups, and walk off homeruns are something that no other sport can match. Of course, it makes it that much better when your team is in it. I believe the Phillies will make their third straight playoff appearance and they will make it far into postseason play. Just how far is the question. The Phils are a great team, but there are always teams that are better. As much as I hate to say this as a diehard Phillies fan, sorry Philadelphia, no repeat this year.

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Distractions Not Distracting the Phillies

It was the most anticipated start for the Phillies since Cliff Lee made his debut against the Giants on July 31st. It was the first time since Steve Carlton that a pitcher with at least 3 Cy Coung Award wins started for the Phillies. And it was a long, but much needed win for the struggling Phils offense and for all the distractions that have been surrounding the Phillies lately. Despite Shane Victorino’s 350 ft. centerfield ejection, Moyer’s unhappy remarks, Pedro’s anticipation, Howard’s struggles, Ibanez’s struggles, and an unruly Cubs fan tossing beer, the Phillies were able to take the first two games from the Cubs in the 3-game set.

During the bottom of the fifth inning with one out and the bases juiced in last night’s ballgame, Cubs’ Jake Fox hit a long fly ball to the edge of the warning track to centerfield. Victorino drifted back, with his hand out protecting himself from the wall when a Cubs fan threw an entire cup of beer on Victorino as soon as he caught the ball. Luckily, the beer didn’t avoid Victorino from catching the ball or hurting himself, because even if he did drop the ball, Fox would have been out anyway for fan interference. Who knows what prompted this fan to do something so wrong and unsportsmanlike? Maybe it was because his Cubs were down 10 runs at that point in time, or he was bored out of his mind, or because of what happened with Victorino in last Sunday’s ballgame.

It was a hot and humid day on August 9th when the Phillies played the Marlins to avoid a three-game sweep. It was the top of the seventh inning, and bad blood had already been created between the Phillies and the home plate umpire over a pitch delivered to Ryan Howard earlier in the game. With no outs and Wes Helms at the plate for the Marlins, Rodrigo Lopez fired in a pitch, and the ump called it a ball. Victorino who was standing approximately 350 feet away from the umpire at home plate out in centerfield, was ejected for throwing his hands in the air in disgust over the umps call. Victorino immediately started to sprint into the infield to discuss this with the home plate umpire. Fortunately, he was restrained by teammates Paul Bako and Howard so he wouldn’t get a suspension to add onto his ejection.

Ever since the Phillies signed Pedro Martinez to a one year, one million dollar deal, the Phillies had some decisions to make about their bullpen and starting rotation. Who would have to go to the bullpen to make room for the three-time Cy Young Award winner? Is a six-man rotation possible? These questions were answered when the Phillies announced that they would move the struggling Jamie Moyer to the bullpen. Moyer, a hometown hero with 250+ career wins, talked Tuesday about the decision the Phillies made and how he felt about it. “I’m really not happy with the decision the Phillies made,” Moyer boldly stated. He also continued to say that last winter, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. “promised” him that if the Phillies re-signed him, he would remain a starter. Unfortunately, I believe that Amaro made these circumstances assuming that Moyer wouldn’t have a lucky 10-9 record, and a colossal 5.47 earned run average. Moyer also stated that though he is unhappy with the final decision to demote him to the bullpen, it is something that he is going to have to deal with, and he will. Now the only question left is, how exactly will Moyer be used in the pen? Charlie will have to answer that one for you.

Last night’s 12-5 win against the Cubs was great to see (as always), especially because of the way the Phillies offense has been underperforming as of late. One main reason is due to the lack of power and consistency of two of the Phillies biggest sluggers, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez. Ibanez is hitting a miserable .214, while Howard is hitting just a few points higher at .217 in the last 14 days. They have a combined one homerun and 30 strikeouts. That’s not exactly getting the power production we hope for here in Philadelphia. Hopefully Howard’s triple and Ibanez’s three run blast last night are a sign of good things to come for the rest of the season from these two much needed sluggers in the middle of that potentially dangerous lineup.

Out of all of the distractions of late, probably the biggest one and most exciting one was Pedro Martinez’s debut in 2009 and for the Phillies. After a few rehab starts, the Phillies believed that he was ready to compete again in the majors. So, they put him up against former Notre Dame wide receiver, Jeff Samardzija. Fortunately, Samardzija, who was also making his 2009 debut as a starting pitcher, couldn’t match Pedro’s performance. The Phillies definitely came out swinging the sticks and they continued throughout the entire ballgame. Martinez complete five frames giving up seven hits and 3 earned and received his first victory since September 25th of last year against the Cubs. Though Martinez is not going to give the Phillies a solid 7-8 innings every time he starts, he proved last night that he could still compete, and contribute to this ballclub hoping to repeat what they did in 2008.

Though there have been many distractions surrounding the Phillies lately, they seem to be avoiding them when they step onto the field, and hopefully it remains that way.
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The Hottest July in Recent Record

By Chris Pollay

It’s a good time to be a Philadelphia Phillies fan.

After all, the defending MLB champions are currently leading the National League East comfortably with a five-game lead. True, they just dropped three of four to the San Francisco Giants, but that was the first series the team has lost since one with the Atlanta Braves that concluded on July 2nd.

The team is only going to get better after recently upgrading its roster, adding 2008 Cy Young Winner Cliff Lee, who only gave up four hits and one run in a complete game, his first outing with the Phils. Also of note, he is 4-0 in his last four starts including three complete games with an ERA of 1.32 in that time.

The future indeed looks secure, especially if the recent past is any indication. The team just finished one of its hottest months of July in recent history, carving out an impressive 20-7 (.741) record.

To put that in perspective, consider this: the last time the Phillies won 20 games in one month was back in May of 2001 when the team went 20-8 (.714).

Last month, the team strung together win streaks of four twice and ten once. They only lost back-to-back games twice during the entire month. In that time, the Phillies outscored opponents by a stunning margin of 153 to 97. Incidentally, that was the most runs scored and fewest runs allowed by the ballclub in any month this year.

In fact, the last time the Phils gave up fewer than 100 runs in an entire month (featuring at least 25 games) was June of 2003.

Philadelphia was so dominant that it outscored its opponents by 56 runs in 27 games for an average of more than two runs a game! It’s amazing what can happen when a baseball team clicks on both offense and defense at the same time.


Everybody Pitching In

As of today, the Phillies’ overall team ERA is at 4.37. However, for the month of July, the team tallied a cumulative 3.22 ERA over the course of 246 innings pitched. Only 88 of the 97 runs given up were earned.

Philadelphia pitched three shoutouts and gave up only two runs or less 14 times (and were 14-0 in those games, not too surprisingly). The best aspect about it all, however, was that it was a complete team effort.

Here are some of the starting pitching performances of the month:

Joe Blanton (3-0): 29.2 IP, 22Ks, 1.21 ERA

Cole Hamels (3-1): 37 IP, 29Ks, 4.38 ERA

J.A. Happ (2-2): 40 IP, 31Ks, 2.93 ERA

Cliff Lee (1-0 as a Philly): 9 IP, 6Ks, 1.0 ERA

Rodrigo Lopez (3-1): 27.1 IP, 17Ks, 3.62 ERA

Jamie Moyer (4-1): 30 IP, 15Ks, 3.3 ERA

The Phillies' hurlers were simply much more consistent than they have been the rest of the year, giving up only 65 walks for the month compared to striking out 190 batters. Although, the team did continue with one of its scary statistics: home runs allowed. The team gave up 27 altogether in July, or an average of one a game.


Hitting on All Cylinders

Of course, a team can give up one home run a game if it manages to outhit its opponents thoroughly.

The team smashed 35 homers in July and 247 hits altogether (91 of which were extra base hits). The team batted a cumulative .259 for the month and hit in double digits eleven different times!

Overall, 145 of the 153 runs the team scored were batted in. The team did continue to strikeout often, though, but did show reasonable patience by earning 116 walks (51 more than their opponents in that time).

Like the Phillies’ pitching last month, the team’s hitting was also a result of contributions from almost everybody. Here’s a breakdown of some of the big numbers:

Jayson Werth: 7 HR, 23 RBIs

Ryan Howard: 6 HR, 18 RBIs

Chase Utley: 6 HR, 18 RBIs

Jimmy Rollins: 4 HR, 19 RBIs

Raul Ibañez: 4 HR, 16 RBIs

Shane Victorino: 3 HR, 14 RBIs

Pedro Feliz: 1 HR, 13 RBIs

One hot month can make all the difference in a pennant race. The Phils were actually tied for first place on July 2nd, but by the end of the month they secured a comfortable six-game lead despite playing 13 straight games at the end of July.

Perhaps the brightest statistic, however, is that the team remembered how to win in its own ballpark, accruing a 14-3 home record for the month, giving them an overall record of 27-25. Their home record was an astonishing 13-22 before the start of July.

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The Old Man on the Mound

By Chris Pollay

Living in Phoenix now, I rarely get an opportunity to watch the Phillies at the ballpark. However, last night I was treated to a fantastic performance, especially since I had never seen Jamie Moyer pitch live and in-person before. The Southpaw may be turning 47 later this year, but last night he pitched with the heart and determination of a man in his prime.

It didn't start that way, though. Early on, he was battered and bruised by Arizona and the home crowd enjoyed some good natured kidding about the veteran's vintage age. Some of my favorite lines included: "Hey Jamie, you don't need to pitch. Just collect your social security."

Or, "Moyer, why am I yelling at you? There's no way you can hear me at your age."



In the first three innings, Moyer indeed looked rattled by the Diamondback hitters. His control was shaky as he gave up walks and base hits like candy at Halloween.

In fact, the D-Backs had two baserunners on in the first, three in the second and two in the third.

But the old man was stubborn and crafty. At one point, I was convinced he was on the ropes. He faced the worst situation a pitcher can face: bases loaded with no outs. Yet, he got out of it without giving up a single run. Strikeout. Double play. Wow.

At that point, the home crowd turned its attention to complaining about the D-Backs players for not stepping up and the insults about retirement and walking canes slowly faded away. Moyer regained control and ended up pitching quite a gem: no runs in 6 2/3 innings. He left the game with a 6 to 0 lead well on his way to his tenth victory of the season.

The tone of the crowd had changed a lot by then. One Phillies fans turned to his neighbors in Diamondback red and said, "Can you believe he came into the game tonight with a 9-7 record and he's 46? Isn't that amazing?"

Of course, the home fans had to agree. The old man is pitching in his 23rd season in the major leagues. He's a journeyman who has played for seven different teams. He has pitched in a whopping 657 games! He has notched 256 wins and over 2,300 strikeouts.

And, he has accomplished all of that by pitching a fastball that clocks in around 80 mph. How? Simple. He is a finesse pitcher and he never stops working hard and studying the game.

I'll be the first to admit I haven't been crazy about the fact that Moyer's ERA has been north of 5.0 this year, but I will always acknowledge that the man is one Hell of a workhorse.

I saw that firsthand last night. He firmly stood his ground when his control failed him and he trudged his way through the hard innings pretty much on willpower alone. On a night when he could have easily given in and sat early (thus, taxing the bullpen), he opted to face his struggles head on, eat up some innings, and come away with a gutty performance that I won't forget anytime soon.

Well done, old man. Well done, indeed.



In the bottom of the 7th inning last night, the Phillies met
on the mound to discuss Moyer's upcoming 47th birthday
in November (if my lip-reading is accurate). I believe Charlie
Manuel said: "We are considering throwing you a surprise
party, but nobody wants to give you a heart attack, Jamie."

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Lucky 13 for the Phillies

By Chris Pollay

The Philadelphia Phillies headed into the All-Star break riding a nice hot streak. Then, they swiftly picked up the trail right where they left off (once the American League proceeded with its annual beatdown of the National League anyway).

The Phils (51-38) are officially the hottest team in baseball having won eight straight and 12 of their last 13 games, including three-game sweeps of the New York Mets, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Florida Marlins.

It’s not difficult to see why the team has been so effective lately: they have boasted a 2.40 ERA during the last 13 games (120 innings altogether) with three shutouts. They also have outhit opponents with a margin of 129 to 89 in that time.

The Phils have won a few squeakers, to be sure, but most games in July (when the Phils are 12-3 right now) have been blowouts. In fact, during the last 13 games, the Phillies have outscored the opposition 81 to 32.

The pitching has stepped up big time and rookie J.A. Happ, now 7-0, has helped lead the charge. Jamie Moyer seems to be finding his rhythm as he has gone 3-0 for July beating the Mets, Reds and Marlins. Joe Blanton has also heated up in July, winning his last two games in which he only gave up one earned run in over 14 innings. He beat two quality starters in the Mets’ Johan Santana and the Pirates’ Zach Duke.

The only loss in the past 13 games was attributed to Brad Lidge when the Reds got the best of him. Lights Out Lidge has been more like “Leave the LIghts On” Lidge lately as he has an earned run in three of his last four outings. Still, despite his occasional flare for the dramatic, he has recorded five saves in July and his last Blown Save occurred back on June 6.

In addition to the improved pitching, the Phils have lit up opposing pitchers like Roman candles all throughout the month. Perhaps the Most Improved Player of the month should go to leadoff man Jimmy Rollins who has batted .388 (21 for 54) in the last 13 games. He only has one homer since July 3rd, but he has filled up all the other offensive stats impressively: 13 runs, eight RBIs, ten walks, and five stolen bases. As Jimmy goes, so do the Phils.

Of course, it hasn’t hurt that second baseman Chase Utley has knocked in four home runs and 13 RBIs, scoring 11 runs during the 12-1 blitz. He is batting .372 (19 of 51) in that time. In the same frame, Shane Victorino has batted .370 (20 of 54) and contributing heavily with 11 runs, nine walks and six RBIs.

Jason Werth has continued to step up. In his last 13 games, he has batted only .250 (11 for 44), but he had made the most of his hits with five homers and 14 RBIs. He’s also scored seven runs and showed more patience, earning eleven walks. Slugger Ryan Howard has also showed more control of late, having earned 13 walks in the last 13 games. Of course, he’s also inflicted some damage with three home runs, nine runs, and eight RBIs by batting .307 (12 of 39).

Perhaps the best sign of things to come is the return of Raul Ibañez, who has helped carry the team recently. He’s only played in five games since returning from the DL, but he has hit a scorching .368 (7 for 19) with two home runs, six RBIs and five runs.


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The Phillies' Mid-Season Report Card

By Chris Pollay

At the midpoint of the 2009 MLB season, the Phillies remain safe at first in the National League East with a record of 48-38. Most of their four-game cushion over Florida is due to the team catching fire of late, winning nine of its last ten games.

While first place is exactly where the Phils would hope to be at this point, it’s hard to imagine that the team is completely satisfied with its overall performance. Sure, they have suffered quite a few injuries and they’ve overcome some occasional bouts of bad luck and streaky superstars, but most probably feel that they are better than their current record indicates.

Regardless, the team has been impressive at times in the first half of 2009 and I have a good feeling about the rest of the year. In fact, two comeback games, one early in the year and one more recently, have convinced me that this team will be THE FORCE to be reckoned with come October.

Remember back in April when the Phillies received their 2008 Championship Rings? The Braves had beaten them up during the first two games of the season and held a 10 to 3 lead heading into the bottom of the 7th when the Phillies erupted for eight runs to take the lead: 11 to 10. They held on to win, refusing to lose on the day that honored last year’s World Series win.

Then, just this past Saturday, the team was up against the ropes, down 7 to 3 in the bottom of the ninth. Before you could blink, Stairs connected for a solo shot and Howard tied the game up with a three-run bomb. The Phils won shortly after by an 8 to 7 margin with no need of extra innings.

This team is absolutely fearless and can step it up a notch or three when they have to mainly because they have the one of the most dangerous offenses in the National League. In fact, they are first in the NL in the following category totals: runs (460); home runs (122); slugging percentage (.452); OPS, a.k.a. on base plus slugging percentage (.793); and total bases (1,343).

Five players earned All-Star bids this year (Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibañez), three of which comprise arguably the MLB’s best outfield. They are complemented by a very strong infield, as well.

Four players on the team have hit at least 20 home runs already: Howard (22), Ibañez (22), Werth (20) and Utley (20). Not surprisingly, those four players have also hit over 50 RBIs: Howard (67), Utley (61), Ibañez (60) and Werth (56).

Having such an arsenal at its disposal has helped the team achieve an outstanding road record (and MLB best) 26-15. It also helps that the team leads the NL with the best fielding percentage of .990.

Another good sign for the ballclub is that Manager Charlie Manuel has trusted in his players to show up when its needed the most. He did call for a recent “closed door meeting,” but Manuel does not ride the team too hard. He has no need of it. He knows what they are capable of achieving. After all, the team completely dominated the Mets in a crucial series a little over a week ago showing that the team will show up when first place is on the line.

There has been a lot to be happy about, to be sure, but there have been a few alarm bells, as well. The pitching has been quite uninspired, both starting and bullpen, though the starting pitchers especially need to improve much more in the next few months. The team ranked badly in the National League in many pitching categories: total losses (38), 15th; home runs allowed (123), 16th; earned runs (398), 14th; hits allowed (809), 13th; and runs scored (412), 11th.

Some of the pitching problems may be addressed before the upcoming trade deadline, but the team’s regular workhorses (Hamels 4.87 ERA, Blanton 4.44 ERA, Moyer 5.99 ERA, etc.) need to be far more consistent and give up a lot fewer runs. Understandably, some of it is due to pitchers staying on the mound despite injuries (Lidge 7.03 ERA, for example), but the numbers are simply too high for a championship ballclub.

It also should be noted that J.A. Happ has been outstanding this season with a 6-0 record and an ERA of only 2.90.

Another weakness to be addresses is that the team needs to win more at home. Their record is only 22-23. However, the team seems to be in the process of correcting this flaw as it had won five straight home games heading into the All-Star break and nine out of its last ten.

One bad symptom for the team that bothers me personally has been its interleague record. Everybody says such games mean nothing, and yet, the Phillies would be up by seven games in the division right now if they had only won half of them.

Instead, the AL East pounded the Phils this season, winning 12 of 18 games (.333 winning percentage for the Phillies). Of course, there won’t be anymore interleague games in the regular season but it would be nice to know they play the American League better in case they meet up again in the World Series.

Overall, though, the prognosis is positive. Despite some tough times, inconsistency and injuries, the team has stayed at first in its division since May 30. With a few more players healing up more, a few heating up more (Rollins in particular) and a few key acquisitions (Halladay and Martinez?), the Phils could stand to improve immensely and will undoubtedly be the heavy favorites come the playoffs.

It will be interesting to see if the Phils can turn things on again come September, like they have the past two seasons. In fact, last October, they were almost unbeatable (11-3). This year’s team could duplicate that feat if all the cylinders are firing at the right time.

For now, the team gets a solid B for its mid-season grade. The complaints are relatively minor. They have some weaknesses, but management seems to be addressing them and the team is definitely regaining its focus. I believe the pitching will improve quite a bit. No doubt, the Phils will be back up to their “A” game before too long. Read more!

The Long Ball in the Long Season

by Chris Pollay

Over a third of the long, long baseball season is officially in the books and the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets rest atop the National League East in a tight race. However, neither team is playing remotely well at the moment, and the Phils currently seem to be trying to give up their division lead by losing eight of nine games heading into today. The Mets, however, appear to have no interest in taking it as they have stalled with a 3-8 record in their last eleven games.

On the plus side for the Mets, they have pitched much better than Philadelphia all year. In fact, their team ERA is 4.25 through 67 games. Meanwhile, the Phils have struggled alarmingly with a team average of 4.79 (also through 67 games) and have given up 101 long balls to the opposition.

It’s been much worse of late, too.

When the Phils were recently swept by Toronto, the Blue Jays scored a staggering 23 runs in three games. In the prior series against the Red Sox, Boston tallied in 22 runs, taking two of three. During the first two games in the interleague Baltimore series, the team gave up another 13 runs in two losses. That’s 58 runs in eight games, which averages out to an ERA over 7.0.

Philadelphia’s pitching has been missing a few cylinders, yet despite that, the ballclub still precariously leads somehow. (Fortunately, Cole Hamels showed some positive signs of life by only allowing two earned runs yesterday, but that was only the third time this month the Phils' staff have allowed two or less runs.)

So, how in the world have the Phillies captured the division lead with such a high team ERA?

The reason is simple: they have been able to rely on hitting the long ball quite well themselves. As bad as their arms have been, the bats continue to be off the charts.

True, the Mets have hit for a higher average (Mets: .277 average; Phils: .259 average), but the Phils have unquestionably inflicted more damage per swing.

The Liberty Bell Bombers have a jaw-dropping 98 homers as a team, compared to the Mets hitting only 43.

Raul Ibanez (who will be sorely missed while on the DL) has hammered 22. Ryan Howard has notched 20. Chase Utley has racked up 15. Jayson Werth has knocked out an even dozen. Nobody on the Mets is even in double-digit homer territory through the season’s first 67 games. Read more!